Tech 101 for Business Owners

I am creating a series of posts called “Tech 101” for business owners. I think it’s important to understand the basics of technology, so that when you hire a programmer, you’ll know what to look for.

One of the big problems I see in hiring programmers is confusing “tech lingo” with programming expertise. Too many businesses lose money hiring someone who can speak the language, but doesn’t really have the skills. You need to know what’s important, and what the right questions are.

Through this series of posts, you’ll learn the basics of databases, web security, programming techniques, and required skills that your programmer should have, but that many don’t.

My goal is to help you avoid losing money to a bad programmer. Like any other profession, there are a small percentage of truly excellent programmers, and they’re difficult to find.

Many people expect a good programmer to be able to come in and fix the mistakes the bad programmer made. Unfortunately, that’s usually not possible. You can’t build a stable house on a shaky foundation.

Programming is as much art as science, and every programmer has their own style. But regardless of style, the basics stay the same. If someone has created software without understanding the fundamentals, it really can’t be salvaged. It can be patched and maybe made to struggle along, but it will probably be a money pit, and it’s usually better to just delete it and start from scratch.

That’s why it’s important to do it properly from the start.

So learn the basics, and save your money. This series is designed for non-technical people, and won’t try to turn you into a programmer.